Wofford plays Saturday afternoon in the FCS quarterfinals at North Dakota State, but the Terriers have another connection in the final eight.

Former Wofford player Trey Diller, who transferred after the 2008 season, is the top wide receiver for Sam Houston State (9-3), which plays 8 p.m. Friday (ESPN2) at No. 3 overall seed Montana State (11-1).

Diller, who played special teams and was a defensive back for Wofford as a freshman, is actually the fourth-leading receiver in the Southland Conference with 53 catches for 767 yards and three touchdowns. It’s been a breakthrough season for Diller, who had 14 catches last season. He hinted at what was to come this season with an 80-touchdown in last year’s playoffs against Stony Brook.

Following his freshman season at Wofford, the Spring Texas native decided to transfer closer to home. The chance to play wide receiver in more of a passing offense had much do to with his decision as well. Diller is still friends with many players on the Wofford team.

Doug Ruse, the Sam Houston State offensive coordinator, came from Western Illinois, where he had one of the top passing offenses at the FCS level in 2010. Just from watching film of Diller, Ruse said upon his arrival that he saw big-play potential from Diller.

Diller was an all-district wide receiver and defensive back at College Park High School. He was a late signee, about a month after official signing day, with former Wofford standout defensive linemen Alex Goltry and Ameet Pall.

“It’s not like they were guys who were left over and nobody else wanted,” Wofford head coach Mike Ayers said at the time. “They are definitely excellent football players. All of them thought they would go to FBS schools. “… All three are very intense. We liked that.”

Diller is still friends and stays in contact with several players on the Wofford team. If there is a reunion, it would have to be in the national championship game Dec. 5 near Dallas.

About This Blog

Todd Shanesy is an award-winning sports writer who has been twice honored nationally by the Associated Press and more than three dozen times by the South Carolina Press Association. He is a native of Troy, Ohio, and studied journalism at Marshall University (1987 graduate). Shanesy is a former sports editor of the Florence (S.C.) Morning News and has been with the Spartanburg Herald-Journal since 1991.

Follow him two ways on Twitter: @ToddShanesySHJ and @TerrierTracker (for everything Wofford-related).